Khiva to Bukhara: train from Khiva station or a car from Urgench
How to head east out of Khorezm: trains from Khiva station, shared rides from Urgench and an honest estimate of how many hours the desert crossing really takes.
Khiva is where the classic Uzbekistan itinerary usually turns around. Further west lies Karakalpakstan, but most travellers leave Khorezm heading east: to Bukhara, then on to Samarkand and Tashkent. Between Khiva and Bukhara are about 450 km of the Kyzylkum desert, and the choice comes down to two options: train or car. We look at both, and explain why it is sometimes easier to leave from neighbouring Urgench rather than Khiva.
The numbers
- Khiva to Bukhara: about 450 km by road.
- Urgench to Bukhara: about 420–430 km.
- Khiva to Urgench: 30–35 km, 30–40 minutes by car.
- By car to Bukhara: 6–7 hours, up to 8 with stops.
- By train: about 6–8 hours depending on the service.
Trains from Khiva station
Since the railway was extended to Khiva, tourists can board a train almost at the walls of the old town. The station is outside Itchan Kala, a few minutes away by taxi. Trains leave Khiva towards Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent, including overnight services.
What you need to know about trains from Khiva:
- There are few departures. This is not Tashkent to Samarkand, where trains run one after another. Only a handful of trains leave Khiva, and the timetable is not the same every day.
- Tickets go early. In high season, especially April to May and September to October, seats on convenient services sell out weeks ahead. Buy your ticket as soon as your date is fixed.
- Journey times vary. Some trains are faster, others make more stops. Look at the arrival time, not just the departure.
- Bukhara's station is in Kogon. The train arrives 12–15 km from the old town, not in it.
Timetables change, so check the railway's website or app before buying.
There are also trains from Urgench. Sometimes they still have seats when everything from Khiva is sold out, so check both cities when searching for tickets.
By car from Urgench and Khiva
If the trains do not suit your timing or are sold out, people go by car. Here Urgench is often more convenient than Khiva. Urgench is the regional capital of Khorezm, with an airport, universities and big markets, so people travel from there to Bukhara more often, for work, family or study. So there are usually more rides on offer from Urgench.
On Yo'ldosh, drivers publish trips on the Khiva — Bukhara and Urgench — Bukhara routes. If there is nothing from Khiva on your day, check Urgench: it is half an hour away by taxi, and some drivers will pick passengers up in Khiva if you arrange it in the chat beforehand.
How long the trip really takes
The gap between the map and real life is noticeable on this route. A typical day by car looks like this:
- Picking up passengers and leaving Khiva or Urgench: 20–40 minutes.
- The first stretch along the Amu Darya: about 2 hours, with a short stop.
- The desert section across the Kyzylkum: 3–4 hours, with a stop for lunch and fuel.
- Entering Bukhara and dropping everyone off: 20–30 minutes.
So if you leave at 7 am, you will realistically be in Bukhara at 2 or 3 pm. With the train the maths is similar: add a taxi to the station in Khiva and a taxi from Kogon to old Bukhara to the journey time.
When to leave
It is best to cross the desert in the morning. In summer leave at 6 or 7 am to get through the hottest part before noon. In spring and autumn you can start later, but do not leave it too late: the Kyzylkum road is unlit in the evening, and you will want time for a sunset walk around Lyabi-Hauz in Bukhara.
What to take
- Water: at least 1.5 litres per person.
- Snacks: there are few cafes on the way.
- A hat and sunglasses: the sun is harsh at stops.
- Cash, as some teahouses do not accept cards.
- A charged phone and offline maps: signal drops out in parts of the desert.
Fitting the trip into your itinerary
If you are travelling west and back east again, decide in advance how you will leave Khorezm. Your options:
- Train from Khiva to Bukhara, then east along the Silk Road: the most popular choice.
- Car from Urgench to Bukhara, if the trains are sold out or you need to leave at a specific time.
- Flight from Urgench to Tashkent, if Bukhara is already behind you and you are heading home.
| Option | Time to Bukhara | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Train from Khiva | 6–8 h | tickets bought early |
| Train from Urgench | 6–8 h | Khiva is sold out |
| Seat in a car | 6–7 h | flexible timing, door to door |
| Private taxi | 6–7 h | a group with luggage |
Seats on the Khiva — Bukhara and Urgench — Bukhara routes appear on Yo'ldosh regularly, and other directions are on the routes page. More about booking in the for passengers section.
Cover photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
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